I need help from GMA Europa owners

Stands for monitors are a fundemental extension of your speaker and can make or break the quality of the sound. I stronly suggest you check out the audiopoints.com website. They have two speaker stands that are absolutely phenomenal. I own their top of the line, and while, pricey, they deliver, (VERY) big time. Their little brother is also wonderful. If you think your Europas sound good now, wait 'til you place them upon the Sistrum Mini Monitor Platforms. I canned my Revel M20 stands in a flash after listening to the Sistrum. Although the less expensive model may still be a bit pricey, considering the $$ for your Europas, they are still worth the investement. Remember, your Europas are temporary. The stands will stay with you for a lifetime if you stay the monitor route. You, may just want to move up to the Revel M20s, the Jmlab MIcro Utopia Bes or, better yet, the Caravelles. Starsound has a money back gurantee. Can't beat that with a stick. You won't send them back. peace, warren

Warren, you are getting a bit tiresome with your Starsound and anti-Europa rap. Just a friendly comment to consider.

Drubin, "anti-Europa rap?" Come on big guy. I'm recommending stands for your Europas. Stands that are going to make your speakers sing. What's negative about that? Just because I mentioned a few other, more musical, speakers, you get all bent? Come on. I love the way the Europas sound. I do. I just prefer a hellava lot of monitors more. That's all. Sure the other monitors cost more. So? Lighten up. If moving up to a Jm lab Micro Be or Revel M20 is a diss to you: get real. Just something to look forward to, one day. The Caravelle line, was just a tease. Can't have a thin skin on the 'gon. Hey, we're audiophools. Let's enjoy...peace, warren

Dan, didn't I make you an offer a ways back (March, I believe) because you said that you were coming into (or was that a maybe) the Big Apple, to come over to my place and listen to the Caravelles? Never heard from you. I thought that was an audiophoolishly friendly offer. No pressure, just some easy listening.

Thanks for all the responses to my thread so far. Here's a couple of comments:

Drubin:
That's a good thought about the 1.6's simply being more incisive. I've grown accustomed to the sound Thiels, which are very detailed and extended, but a bit thin and austere. It may be that I'm finding the Europas a more well rounded speaker, hence the highs are standing out less. I should spend more time just listening.

But for the record please lighten up on Warren. I found his comment fully appropriate. He didn't bash the Europas, he simply recommended stands and some other speakers.

I should also note that I'm a huge fan of Starsound. I have Audiopoints under my electronics and Thiels and I built a rack to Starsounds specs using brass rods and Audiopoints. I have found they clean up the sound a lot. Somewhat suprisingly, today I was switching cones around trying different things on the Europas. I replaced the Audiopoints under my CD with Mapleshade cones. Big difference, the Audiopoints did much more to clean up the sound.

Roy:
Thanks for your ideas. I will muck around with the stands as you suggest. I may also try some Osiris or Parts Express metal stands to eliminate the MDF problem.

I'll be writing a review on the Europas soon. But I do want to note they are fantasitic speakers. To my ears they easily out perform Nautilus 805's, Thiel 1.6's, Revel M20's and Tyler Acoustics Reference Monitors, all of which I've had in my home in the last year. Not bad, since all these cost over twice as much as the Europas. This thread was to help me tweak the sound to make them even better.

Thanks again for the posts. Any more thoughts anyone? Keep them coming.

Rich